On the recordSeptember 28, 2010
Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 1636, a bipartisan resolution, commemorates the 75th anniversary of the dedication of Hoover Dam, and recognizes the past, the present, and the future benefits of its construction to the agricultural, to the industrial, and to the urban development of the southwestern United States. During its 75-year history, Hoover Dam has played a pivotal role in shaping what the Southwest is today, from a region with an inconsistent supply of water, to now providing water for more than 18 million people, including irrigation water for over 1 million acres of farm land in the States of Arizona, California, Nevada and 500,000 acres in Mexico. That beautiful natural resource that sparkles adds life and economy to our west. While this facility was completed three-quarters of a century ago, it continues for today and tomorrow to provide water and power certainty for millions of people. We currently have legislation pending in the Senate, Senate bill 2819, and H.R. 4349, the Hoover Power Allocation Act of 2010. This legislation would allocate hydropower generated at Hoover Dam, estimated at 4 billion kilowatt hours of hydroelectric power each year, for the next 50 years. I would want to reiterate our support for the enactment of this important legislation. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support the passage of this bipartisan resolution. Hoover Dam is truly a marvel of engineering, of technology and human endeavor.
